When Van Morrison wrote the classic Gloria as the B-side to Them’s 1964 hit Baby Please Don’t Go, he couldn’t have suspected what a kid from New Jersey would do with his song a decade later. But I suspect he was thrilled. After all, Patti Smith’s cover of Gloria on her incredible 1975 debut album Horses stands as the greatest rock cover performance (studio release) of all time.

At least, that’s my choice. You may cue up something else. But consider the guidelines: we’re talking post-Beatles, singer-songwriter era. And we’re talking interpretation, ownership, stye. And Patti’s Gloria leaps to the top. Even now, 30 years after I first heard it, the song can bring chills – that opening, the free-form poetry, the anger and sexual tension, the drive of the band, as it swings in and around Smith’s lyrical riffs. Christ, it is rock. No matter that Patti didn’t write the song – she wrote the track.
Over five and half minutes, the song presents an apocalyptic vision that unfolds in slow, throbbing chords, then picks up speed:

people say “beware!”
but I don’t care
the words are just
rules and regulations to me, me

Then, blam – the more familiar chords of Morrison’s brilliant B-side, but with lyrics he couldn’t have released in 1964 – red hot homoerotica, in this case, but you almost don’t notice it because of the momentum of the band. Took me a while when i was 14 or so to realize, hey man, that’s a girl singing about a girl:

humpin’ on the parking meter, leanin’ on the parking meter
oh, she looks so good, oh, she looks so fine
and I got this crazy feeling and then I’m gonna ah-ah make her mine
ooh I’ll put my spell on her

And onward it goes, every second fiery, living-breathing rock-and-roll. It feels incredibly live, with Jay Dee Daugherty’s singer-focused cymbals and fills and Lenny Kaye’s understated but omnipresent guitar. This song feels like it could only have been released in this performance, in this actual cut, in the recording that was made on that one day with this one band in this one studio. And to me, that’s what great covers are about: building on somebody else’s song, putting your own meat on the bones, creating a singular performance.

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71 thoughts on “Rock’s Greatest Covers: Patti Tops the List”

Good ones, Viscount – not sure how I left off Watchtower, except that perhaps it was so obvious. Heck, Dylan started playing it the Hendrix way. Allmans have a bunch of good covers, of course. And the Costello track – great one, but I’m not sure if it fits, since I’ve never heard the Nick Lowe original…

Great post. I agree that Jimi’s version of “Watchtower” is one of the greatest covers of all time. Talk about making a song your own. I bet more people mistakenly think Jimi played it first than those who know Dylan was the one who penned it.

My favorite covers I’ve listened to today:

“I Wish I Knew” – Derek Trucks Band (Trucks’ solos are incredibly melodic and distinguishable from anyone else’s guitar sound, and Mike Mattison’s vocals fill me with such a deep and genuine joy.)

“High and Dry” – Jorge Drexler (His voice is as smooth and sweet as honey, and just as thick with emotion, too.)

“Jesus Just Left Chicago” – Phish (On the live album Slip, Stitch and Pass; piano/guitar solos that build and build so, so slow, then release with a bang, kinda like a… Well, you know.)

“Cortez the Killer” – Warren Haynes and Dave Matthews Band (Version from the Central Park show; I watch/listen to this song on the DVD, and my hair stands on end throughout the whole thing.)

Trucks and Haynes never cease to blow my mind. If you haven’t heard them play, either with the ABB, or with their respective bands, you’re in for it; their guitar solos will run you over like a pack of wild horses.

Haynes really kills it with DMB during the Central Park concert – DMB gets a bad rep I think because of their overzealous frat-boy fans, but they are insanely talented.

As for Phish, I’ll say this: When they’re off, they’re way off, but when they’re on, magic happens. Their cover of “Jesus” really is worth a listen, I think.

Tom, you’ll be happy to know that Patti Smith is releasing a whole album of covers next month called Twelve.
Here’s the lineup, although the early discs shipped out for review say the order could change:
1. Are You Experienced?
2. Everybody Wants To Rule The World
3. Helpless
4. Gimme Shelter
5. Within You Without You
6. White Rabbit
7. Changing Of The Guards
8. Boy In The Bubble, The
9. Soul Kitchen
10. Smells Like Teen Spirit
11. Midnight Rider
12. Pastime Paradise

Actually I don’t think it’s quite true that the Big O disliked Aretha’s “Respect”….I think he is remembered as saying “That little girl came along and took my song from me” because she had so utterly made it her own and slayed the original. That’s a great choice.

I can’t say I have a hierarchacal list. The lines are too fuzzy. For example, producer Norm Whitfield recorded “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” with Smokey and the Isleys (unreleased) before hitting w/ Gladys Knight and then a year later w/ Marvin Gaye. Is Marvin’s verison a cover? Maybe. It certainly hit after Gladys Knight’s making it a prime candidate for #1 on any covers list.

However, I will offer a couple worth noting:

First, The Beatles’ “Twist & Shout.” As Aretha did w/ “Respect,” The Beatles seized that song and held on to it forever; and it may be John Lennon’s greatest vocal.

Second, Elvis Presley’s volcanic (Arlen Specter’s word, but I like it!) 1973 version of Chuck Berry’s “The Promised Land.” The Kings last great moment and one of his best. Rocks like a mother. And the song fits him like a leather jump suit.

Third, Warren Zevon’s version of “Back in the Highlife” which I think was on Mutineer. Completely remade the song as a down tempo broken boozer’s lament for a comeback he knows is never coming. Brilliant!

Fourth, the Band’s version of Marvin Gaye’s “Baby Don’t You Do It” from Rock of Ages just flat out smokes! (A list of the best rock covers of Motown songs would be a much more managable list to assemble.)

One I don’t love is Hendrix’ “Watchtower.” I adore Hendrix and actually believe almost ever facet of his music is dramatically UNDERrated. But I think his “Watchtower” slogs rhythmically. He fluffs the lyrics badly and not because he’s altering ’em creatively, he just has no idea what the words are or what they’re about. One of the most overrated records of all time. And I don’t think Dylan ever played Jimi’s arrangement. What he said in an interview was that it was weird to play the song because it felt like he was playing a tribute to Hendrix. I guess that says Jimi seized the song despite my personal beefs with the performance (I can think of two dozen Jimi performances I’d save first from a burning building, including another cover, “Hey Joe”).

Patti Smith is a genius of covers. Among the greatest covers I’ve seen her perform in concert are: Paint It Black, When Doves Cry, and maybe best of all, George Michael’s Father Figure. Can’t wait to hear her do Changing of the Guard and Pastime Paradise. And yeah, her Wicked Messenger was fabulous.

Jason – i think the version of Watchtower from Live at Budakon is very close to the Hendrix version – you’re right tho, even if Hendrix is great, that’s not his best really.

Twist and Shout – yeah, that’s a great choice and you know I love Promised Land – left Elvis off because he did so msny covers, really and was from a different era. (Then again, I did put Johnny Cash on there).

But the gem in your list is the Zevon track – I love that recording and play it all the time.

Fred, I know your obsession with that Cash-Dylan track! It is a great one…

I must admit I’ve never really been clear on the session dates and release dates on the Grapevines, which underlines my point about the difficulty, for me at least, of narrowing down this category which is full of fuzzy distinctions.

Yeah, Tramp is great. Levon Helm’s cover of Springsteen’s Atlantic city is pretty great – with the mandolin lead. Not sure about folk tunes … but I don know my playlist the next few days is gonna have a buncha new tunes.

cool, what a nice interesting fun topic for a sunday – and wonderfully, as with all art related topics, no one is right or wrong … i agree with many of the choices listed thus far (especially the iconic patti smith) but for me – having had to have a think about this topic whilst in bed – yes, still – with laptop, wife, cats, coffee, toast and marmite, sunday papers AND the fa cup on television following on from radio 4’s desert island discs followed by just a minute; does it get any better? oh yes it does: getting top down on the miata in a while, ipod plugged in, and poodling off to a nice country pub for a pint of beer …

but, i digress – it’s a somewhat surprisingly ‘lightweight’ bit of joyful pop that i have to nominate as my ‘best cover’:

it has to be ‘love machine’ originally by girls aloud but as covered by my local band, the arctic monkeys – makes me smile like no other pop song. the fact the arctic monkeys are all sheffield wednesday fans only serves to remind us of their eccentric take on the real world. but, listen to that cover and try to not smile – is impossible.

A cover I’ve always loved is Daddy Rolling Stone from Johnny Thunders’ brilliant 1978 record So Alone. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, who became U2’s producer, the track featured Johnny, the Sex Pistols’ Paul Cook on drums and Steve Jones on guitar, Steve Marriott of the Small Faces on piano, Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy on bass, and Chrissie Hynde on backing vocals.

My vote would have to be Eric Clapton’s version of Bob Marley “I Shot the Sheriff.” Not only did Eric do the song sweet justice, but it had a huge social and political impact. The song helped introduce Bob and his message to millions of fans. How many of these cover songs made the listener go out and buy the original artist material? Good question.

My favorite thing about cover songs is how some artists can make songs “theirs” while still paying tribute to the original. In my opinion, that’s a major part of what artistic expression is all about. Some of my favorites that I haven’t seen on the list yet include:

– Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, Led Zeppelin (Joan Baez): speaking of Zeppelin
– The Thrill Is Gone, Jerry Garcia & David Grisman (B.B. King): amazing how they changed this song’s genre while making it sound as pure as the original
– The Man Who Sold The Word, Nivana (David Bowie): gave GenX exposure to the lesser known side of Bowie
– Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley (Leonard Cohen): song covered by many, this one stands out
– To Go Home, M Ward (Daniel Johnston): might be considered “too new” although this has to be considered an instant classic
– Masters of War, Pearl Jam (Bob Dylan): as immediate – and prevalent – as ever
– Take Me to the River, Talking Heads (Al Green): takes balls to cover Al Green, but they did it right
– Rock n’ Roll, Jane’s Addiction (Velvet Underground): quintessential band from late 80’s LA scene covers quintessential band from late 60’s NY Scene
– One, Johnny Cash (U2): I don’t think I ever actually realized how haunting this song is until I heard Cash sing it
– Straight Outta Compton, Nina Gordon (NWA): if you haven’t heard this, go to http://www.ninagordon.com/sightsandsounds.html – comical, bizarre and moving at the same time

David Watts-The JamWhen Will I Be Loved–Linda RondstadtThe Theme From Get Carter–StereolabSpooky–Lydia LunchRosalyn–David BowieI’m Only Sleeping–Roseanne CashMy Way–Syd ViciousBlinded By the Light–Manfred Mann’s Earth Band

You know, Fred raises an excellent point – how to create a “newcritics radio” – basically a constant stream of every track mentioned on this blog…is it currently do-able with the tools out there now, ad-supported licensing etc. Think of how cool this station would be…

“One, Johnny Cash (U2): I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t think I ever actually realized how haunting this song is until I heard Cash sing it”

What does everyone think about Johnny Cash’s version of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”? The first time I heard it, tears ran down my cheeks the entire length of the song, and I felt downright meloncholy for a good hour afterward. The shakiness in Cash’s voice as he sings such desperate lyrics is just heart-wrenching.

Took me a while when i was 14 or so to realize, hey man, thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s a girl singing about a girl:

Oh, ab-so-LEWD-ly!

Tom, we must be about exactly the same age — but it didn’t take me more than about 0.0006 seconds to realize this was a girl singing about a girl, and this stirred an odd combination of lust and fear in the 15-year-old moi. Patti just didn’t give a rip what you thought of her little sexually transgressive thoughts, and (not having yet read Genet or Burroughs) this was probably my first contact with utterly unapologetic same-sex lust. Wow.

I absolutely loved — and still do — the way the band explodes on the line “And I’ve got this crazy feeling that I’m gonna/Uh-uh, make her mine” — without question my introduction to the power of punk (“Horses” was a full two years before “Never Mind the Bollocks,” if you can believe it…). The racing heart, the surging adrenaline, the impulse to destroy something useless…

Good to see Jason being his usual contrarian self. I agree completely about Hendrix’s take on “All Along the Watchtower.” It’s a psychedelic tour de force, chock full of jaw-dropping production, a real grab-bag of chewy Electric Kool-Aid candyfloss — but it completely misunderstands the actual song itself. Dylan’s original, which is the centerpiece of perhaps the most anti-psychedelic record ever made, is icy-cold, sere, and deeply, deeply frightening.

(I think the most fascinating thing I’ve ever heard anybody say about “All Along the Watchtower” — and dammit, I can’t bring up the critic’s name right now — is that it can be viewed as a circle. Finish the lyric “Two riders were approaching/The wind began to howl” and then go right back to the top: “There must be some way out of here…!” — if there is a Hell, it must involve something like the realization that No, There Is No Way Out of Here….

I’m surprised no one’s yet brought up the Beatles’ coruscating cover of Otis Redding’s “Day Tripper.” Man, they really rip through that one!

…And I’m wondering precisely what is involved in “poodling.” If a pub is at the end of one’s poodle, it certainly must be a pleasant enough activity.

After I heard “Horses” for the first time, I didn’t listen to much Jethro Tull anymore. The kid who gave me the record really hated it — he’d been given it by a well-meaning sister, but the kid was unalterably steeped in prog (poor thing), and let’s just say, what they had there was a failure to communicate.

I can’t stand my hasty mispellings on #32–Sid Vicious and Linda Ronstadt. And I’ll toss in a couple more Kinks covers: “Stop Your Sobbing” by the Pretenders and “Victoria” by the Fall…

Also I’m partial to Joy Division’s cover of “Sister Ray” and Frank Black and the Catholics doing Tom Waits’ “Black Rider” (the opening-track version on Black Letter Days). Finally, even more obscurely, P. J. Harvey does a great “Is That All There Is?” on the album she did with John Parish.

Finally, let me second Fred’s praise of Josh’s list, save for the “Straight Out of Compton” track, which I don’t get. Garcia/Grisman’s “The Thrill Is Gone” really is a great remake. The Jerry Garcia Band did a nice cover of Marley’s “Stop That Train” as well.

First, just a collective thank you to the previous contributors. I love this stuff, and it’s still rare for me to find people discussing music whose opinions I feel I can trust (which isn’t to say I always agree).
So many great choices that I had to wrack my brain to offer any new ones, but I have a couple. Number one, Everything I Own by Ken Boothe. It’s the Bread song done as reggae, and it’s a great example of the kind of emotional range that often gets neglected in the popular view of reggae. The strong beat is there for sure, but the mood is very gentle, lilting, and the end result very much something that a lover would sing to the beloved. What always struck me as treacle in the original version seems authentic here. It can be found on the Tougher than Tough anthology.
Number two: the mention of the Jerry Garcia Band reminded me of his version of SeÃƒÂ±or (Tales of Yankee Power). I’d always written it off as one of Dylan’s wordy Seventies misfires, but the JGB version has the ominous feel of a good Fifties western–something bad is about to happen, and it’s too late for regrets or protestations of innocence: everything will be swept away, and you always knew you were getting in too deep. Or, at least, that’s my reading.

Number one, Everything I Own by Ken Boothe. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s the Bread song done as reggae, and itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s a great example of the kind of emotional range that often gets neglected in the popular view of reggae…. What always struck me as treacle in the original version seems authentic here.

!!!

I heard this as a bumper on some NPR show or another recently, and I was immediately struck by exactly the qualities you describe. It’s a really lovely reworking of the song, turning, as you rightly say, treacle into something quite warm and wonderful.

The Hendrix Watchtower SMOKES the Dylan original. Before you pounce, I was only bating you above, I like a little Dylan and make my offering at the alter now and again, but PLEASE, the vocal coming out of the guitar solo still gives me chills even after hearing it a billions times. What, do you guys hate rock?

Add to the list AerosmithÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Ã¢â‚¬Å“Train Kept a RollinÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ Ã¢â‚¬Å“ (donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t EVEN argue with me unless youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve actually listened to it more than once). Judas PriestÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Ã¢â‚¬Å“DiamondÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s & RustÃ¢â‚¬Â, BlackfootÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Ã¢â‚¬Å“Wishing WellÃ¢â‚¬Â (although the original is DAMN good), NazarethÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Ã¢â‚¬Å“Love HurtsÃ¢â‚¬Â, Faith No MoreÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Ã¢â‚¬Å“War PigsÃ¢â‚¬ÂÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve got more, but the greatest all time best cover/version is Stevie Ray VaughnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Ã¢â‚¬Å“Tin Pan AlleyÃ¢â‚¬Â. I know JasonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s going to toss out some obscure artist to counter my posit, but there is NO WAY anybody comes close to the Stevie Ray version EVER (I have a half finished post on I need to resurrect).

The idea of A Newcritics Radio stream or podcast parking area could actually pull me out of the funk IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m in right nowÃ¢â‚¬Â¦

When I was 12 years old (in 1997!), I discovered Aerosmith’s albums from the 1970s, and it was the single incident in my life that opened my eyes to the raging libido of rock and roll.

From their 1974 album Get Your Wings: “Train Kept a Rollin'”, originally done by The Yardbirds, if I’m not mistaken. I begged my parents for an electric guitar, bought the tablature to that album, and would play along with the solos on this track. Joe Perry’s guitar sounds like the scream of wheels against the metal of a train track (and so did my guitar efforts, and not necessarily in a good way…)

I got teased relentlessly at middle school for talking about all the Aerosmith concerts I was dragging my parents to (and for wearing black leather pants in an ‘effort’ to be as cool as Joe Perry – ok, maybe I deserved the harrassment…)

But I did grab the attention of my first “official” boyfriend that year, who thought it was super cool that I could play guitar. His name was Russell, and last I heard, he was in jail in Kentucky for drug-related charges.

Speaking of Hendrix and vocals coming out of guitar solos, how about his “Star-Spangled Banner” and the airplane/bomb sounds he makes? Again, heard it in middle school for the first time, realized later in life the connection to the Vietnam War, and I swear to God, it made me f’in cry.

You discovered that record in 1997 and I in 1976 and we both share the same affinity for it. There is only one reason for that being the case: it’s a great fucking record and the Train Kept a Rollin’ anchors that side of the LP so nicely doesn’t? You get a little taste of some original composition with first track “SOS Too Bad” and BOOM!!! hear comes that awesome opening lick which I STILL can’t figure out how to do the pull offs to make it some like the record. I almost can’t listen to Train Kept a Rollin'” without hearing “SOS Too Bad” first. How ’bout the fade into “Spaced”?

Well, Patti Smith’s version of Gloria is a great start. Other immediate covers that jump to my mind (probably now that Spring is here) are Johnny Thunders’ Pipeline, the Cramps’ Surfin Bird, half a dozen Ramones songs, and of course, Louie Louie by the Kingsmen.

For pure emotional kick in the gut, however, I have to agree with commenter Jennifer Jo Janisch’s pick of Johnny Cash doing Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt.” One of the most powerful songs I’ve ever heard. Another cover in the same vein is Nina Simone’s version of Dylan’s Ballad of Hollis Brown. Strong stuff.

Along with Cash’s “Hurt” and it’s emotional kick in the gut, Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged rendition of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night/In the Pines” has always hit me hard. Cobain’s death-rattle sigh at the end gives me chills. This song has been covered by, um, everyone, and apparently it’s an old Appalachian folk song with an unknown author.

With about 30 minutes of thought. I reserve the right to change contents of list without prior notice:

1. Higher Ground by Chili Peppers.
2. Gloria by Patti Smith
3. Head On by the Pixies
4. Nothing Compares to You by Sinead O’Connor
5. Hey Joe by Hendrix
6. Sympathy For The Devil by Jane’s Addiction
7. Money by The Flying Lizards
8. My Way by Sid Vicious
9. I Want you Back by The Bouncing Souls (I heard this live in 1990? and I still remember it well. I don’t know if it was ever recorded.)

And Love Hurts by Nazareth. When I heard GPÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s original, I thought he was covering Nazareth. I kid you not.
Fred, the original was by Roy Orbison. The song was written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who also wrote many of the Everly Brothers’ early hits. Not to mentions , familiar to anyone who has watched one of the University of Tennessee’s sports teams on TV, as it’s the tune that the UT band plays over and over and over adn over.

Something went wrong the post I just put up. It’ll make more sense if you know that the missing part mentions the song “Rocky Top,” Felice & Boudleaux Bryant’s bluegrass tune turned U of Tenn fight song.

OOC (69) The Cornershop is probably the weakest one I listed, I was doing it pretty much off the top of my head, but I don’t mind it all. The Minutemen cover vastly improves the sluggish BOC original. And Tricky turns Public Enemy’s tale of prision-break on its head: despite the guitars, “Black Steel” turns into a cul-de-sac, claustrophobic like the rest of Maxinquaye.

i must say i am delighted that jamiroquai have retired (albeit only temporarily, sadly, according to their leader, jay kay) – so, stevie wonder’s back-catalogue is safe for a while at least from their parody’esque-pseudo-covers of stevie w’s works … (allegedly).

re: esoth – good post; you mention danny boy and joe jackson – have you heard his song ‘the man who wrote danny boy’ …? kind of off topic but not really, being all about the power and allure of a classically crafted and addictive song – it sends shivers down my spine each time i hear it – saw it live when the album was just released and didn’t know what to expect – the part where maire brenan (i think it was) came on stage was live music at its compelling best. glorious.